Quick disconnect apparatus for modular tooling

Abstract

A modular tooling receiver includes a housing having a wall and a port, and an engaging member movably disposed in the port. A lock actuator is moveable between a first position and a second position. The release lever is connected to the housing and is engageable with the lock actuator for causing movement of the lock actuator from the first position toward the second position. An anti-release mechanism is connected to the release lever and is movable between an engaged position, in which the anti-release mechanism engages the housing to restrain movement of the release lever to prevent movement of the lock actuator from the first position to the second position, and a disengaged position, in which the anti-release mechanism disengages the housing to allow movement of the release lever.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A modular tooling receiver, comprising:
 a housing including a wall having a port that extends through it; 
 an engaging member that is movably disposed in the port; 
 a lock actuator that is disposed on a first side of the wall, wherein the lock actuator is moveable between a first position in which the lock actuator urges the engaging member in a first direction defined from the first side of the wall to a second side of the wall and a second position wherein the lock actuator permits the engaging member to move in a second direction defined from the second side of the wall to the first side of the wall; 
 a release lever that is connected to the housing and is engageable with the lock actuator for causing movement of the lock actuator from the first position toward the second position; and 
 an anti-release mechanism that is connected to the release lever and is movable between an engaged position, in which the anti-release mechanism engages the housing to restrain movement of the release lever to prevent movement of the lock actuator from the first position to the second position, and a disengaged position, in which the anti-release mechanism disengages the housing to allow movement of the release lever. 
 
     
     
       2. The modular tooling receiver of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a pocket, and the anti-release mechanism engages a surface inside the pocket in the engaged position. 
     
     
       3. The modular tooling receiver of  claim 2 , wherein the housing includes a slot that is adjacent to the pocket, wherein the release lever is disposed in the slot. 
     
     
       4. The modular tooling receiver of  claim 3 , wherein the pocket is wider than the anti-release mechanism and the anti-release mechanism is wider than the slot. 
     
     
       5. The modular tooling receiver of  claim 1 , wherein the anti-release mechanism is slidably connected to the release lever. 
     
     
       6. The modular tooling receiver of  claim 1 , further comprising: a first biasing element biases the lock actuator toward the first position; a retainer that is positioned on the second side of the wall and is moveable between a first position in which the retainer is in engagement with the engaging member to obstruct movement of the engaging member in the first direction and a second position in which the retainer permits movement of the engaging member in the first direction; and a second biasing element that biases the retainer toward the first position of the retainer, wherein the wall is cylindrical, wherein the retainer is a ring, wherein the lock actuator is a piston, and wherein the engaging member is spherical. 
     
     
       7. The modular tooling receiver of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a damper that controls a rate of motion of the lock actuator from the second position toward the first position, wherein the damper is an o-ring. 
 
     
     
       8. The modular tooling receiver of  claim 1 , wherein the engaging members are operable to retain engagement with a coupler in the first position and release the coupler in the second position. 
     
     
       9. A modular tooling assembly, comprising:
 a coupler; and 
 a receiver that includes:
 a housing including a wall having a port that extends through it, 
 an engaging member that is movably disposed in the port for engagement with the coupler, 
 a lock actuator that is disposed on a first side of the wall, wherein the lock actuator is moveable between a first position in which the lock actuator urges the engaging member toward the coupler in a first direction defined from the first side of the wall to a second side of the wall and a second position wherein the lock actuator permits the engaging member to move away from the coupler in a second direction defined from the second side of the wall to the first side of the wall, 
 a release lever that is connected to the housing and is engageable with the lock actuator for causing movement of the lock actuator from the first position toward the second position by movement of the release lever from a lock position to a release position, and 
 a hold-open mechanism that is operable to retain the release lever in the release position while the coupler is in engagement with the housing and to allow the release lever to return the lock position when the coupler is no longer in engagement with the housing. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The modular tooling assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the release lever includes a recess, and the hold-open mechanism includes a holding pin that engages the recess to retain the release lever in the release position. 
     
     
       11. The modular tooling assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the hold-open mechanism includes a sensor pin that is engageable with the coupler. 
     
     
       12. The modular tooling assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the hold-open mechanism prevents retraction of the holding pin from the recess of the release lever while the sensor pin is in engagement with the coupler, and permits retraction of the holding pin from the recess of the release lever when the sensor pin is no longer in engagement with the coupler. 
     
     
       13. The modular tooling assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the holding pin is biased toward the release lever such that it moves toward the release lever and into the recess when the release lever moves from the lock position to the release position. 
     
     
       14. The modular tooling assembly of  claim 9 , the receiver further comprising: a first biasing element biases the lock actuator toward the first position; a retainer that is positioned on the second side of the wall and is moveable between a first position in which the retainer is in engagement with the engaging member to obstruct movement of the engaging member in the first direction and a second position in which the retainer permits movement of the engaging member in the first direction; and a second biasing element that biases the retainer toward the first position of the retainer, wherein the wall is cylindrical, wherein the retainer is a ring, wherein the lock actuator is a piston, and wherein the engaging member is spherical. 
     
     
       15. The modular tooling assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a damper that controls a rate of motion of the lock actuator from the second position toward the first position, wherein the damper is an o-ring. 
 
     
     
       16. The modular tooling assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the engaging members are operable to retain engagement with the coupler in the first position and release the coupler in the second position. 
     
     
       17. A modular tooling assembly, comprising:
 a receiver that includes:
 a housing including a wall having a port that extends through it, 
 an engaging member that is movably disposed in the port, 
 a lock actuator that is disposed on a first side of the wall, wherein the lock actuator is moveable between a first position in which the lock actuator urges the engaging member in a first direction defined from the first side of the wall to a second side of the wall and a second position wherein the lock actuator permits the engaging member to move in a second direction defined from the second side of the wall to the first side of the wall, 
 a release lever that is connected to the housing and is engageable with the lock actuator for causing movement of the lock actuator from the first position toward the second position, and 
 a first support part; and 
 
 a coupler that includes a second support part, wherein the first support part and the second support part are configured to allow the coupler to hang from the receiver while the coupler is moved from a disconnected position relative to the receiver to a connected position relative to the receiver. 
 
     
     
       18. The modular tooling assembly of  claim 17 , the receiver further comprising: a first biasing element biases the lock actuator toward the first position; a retainer that is positioned on the second side of the wall and is moveable between a first position in which the retainer is in engagement with the engaging member to obstruct movement of the engaging member in the first direction and a second position in which the retainer permits movement of the engaging member in the first direction; and a second biasing element that biases the retainer toward the first position of the retainer, wherein the wall is cylindrical, wherein the retainer is a ring, wherein the lock actuator is a piston, and wherein the engaging member is spherical. 
     
     
       19. The modular tooling assembly of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a damper that controls a rate of motion of the lock actuator from the second position toward the first position, wherein the damper is an o-ring. 
 
     
     
       20. The modular tooling assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the engaging members are operable to retain engagement with the coupler in the first position and release the coupler in the second position.